BeIN Sports has launched a last-minute bid to derail the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United.
The Premier League are understood to be going through the owners and directors test to put their seal of approval on the deal, but it may not be a straightforward case given the protests from one of their largest rights holders.
Here, Sportsmail takes a look at why a Qatar-based media group are urging England's top flight to have a second think over ratifying the deal.
Who are beIN Sport?
BeIN Sport are a Qatar-based media group boasting the largest portfolio of sporting rights in the world, beamed into the homes of millions across 16 countries.
Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the broadcaster's chairman, they are the largest overseas Premeir League rights holders - paying £400m for a three-year deal back in 2018.
Fronting that coverage are the familiar faces of Richard Keys and Andy Gray, the former Sky Sports duo, while they have access to a host a big names for their coverage - with the likes of former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger regularly appearing.
So, what have the group done?
The company's CEO, Yousef Al-Obaidly, has taken it upon himself to write to the Premier League and each of the 20 clubs in it.
It is a plea that the organisation take a stance against the impending takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi-led consortium, and do not allow it to go through.
In a letter address to the league's chief executive Richard Masters, he wrote: 'The danger of allowing the acquisition of a controlling or material interest (whether acquired directly or indirectly) in a major Premier League club by what is effectively the Saudi Arabian government cannot be ignored.
'As a longstanding partner and huge investor in the Premier League, we urge you to consider carefully all the implications of doing so.'
Why have they done that?
It all stems from the state-sponsored piracy of beIN Sports within Saudi Arabia, a campaign that has been onrunning for three years now.
BeoutQ has been broadcasting to homes in the Kingdom by state-sponsored satellite broadcaster Arabsat using the stream of beIN Sport, stealing millions of pounds worth of rights in the process.
Despite protests of no wrongdoing, several independent studies, including one carried out by a British cyber securities firm, show 'indisputably' that commerical theft is being carried out - and through state-backed operations.
They want a proper investigation this, and they want that carried out through the owners and directors test.
So what’s the link between beoutQ and the Newcastle takeover?
Well, little directly. However, given the takeover is being spearheaded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, there is a clear link to the state.
The fund is run by crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman, while the governor of the fund - Yasir Al-Rumayyan - is set to replace Mike Ashley as chairman.
BeIN Sport are adamant that Bin Salman must have had knowledge of the commerical theft being undertaken in his country. As head of the PIF, there is a direct link there between those about to hold a controlling stake in a Premier League club, and the company stealing rights from that very same body.
